1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for making an improved flavored nut and, more particularly, to a method for making a vacuum infused flavored nut snack using a water based slurry.
2. Description of Related Art
Snack items are an important consumer item for which there exists a great demand. Snacks can also play a large role in the diet of consumers. Peanuts, almonds and other types of nuts are preferred snack items because they are nutritious due to their high protein content. Many nuts also have high fiber content, which has been attributed to reducing a person's risk of certain cancers, diabetes, digestive disorders, and heart diseases. Fiber may also help people control obesity, because insoluble fiber is not digested and passes through the digestive system virtually in tact, providing bulk but very few calories. Studies have also shown that people who consume nuts on a regular basis are less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease and can lower their LDL cholesterol levels, probably due to the fatty acid profile of nuts. Thus, the nutritious benefits of nut-based snack chips serve to distinguish them from other types of snack chips.
Nuts can be consumed in their natural physical state, such as whole peanuts or cashews, or they can be flavored. In the prior art, whole nuts have been flavored topically with an oil and seasoning mixture. However, topical seasoning of whole nuts has several drawbacks. First, the oil-based topical seasoning easily sticks to the oily fingers of consumers. As such, some of the seasoning is lost before the snack product reaches the consumer's mouth. Second, a topical seasoning dissolves quickly in the mouth of the consumer. Consequently, the flavor tends to fade long before the consumer actually swallows the product. It would be an improvement in the art, therefore to provide a flavoring that is long lasting, and that does not adhere easily to the fingers of consumers. It would also be an improvement in the art to provide a product that reduces the amount of raw materials costs while increasing the final product quality.